tz.theicarushunt-第70节
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otwithstanding； a sudden and clearly suicidal attack on my part was probably the last thing they were actually expecting； and the shock had just enough time to register on their faces as I took two quick steps forward and swung 180 degrees around； taking care not to let my chair get hung up on the edge of their table。 With all the strength I could muster； I heaved myself and the chair as hard as I could squarely on top of them。
They saw it ing； of course。 But seated with their legs under the table； there wasn't a single thing they could do about it。 We all went down together in a confused and thunderous crash of splintering wood and alien curses。 Still handcuffed to the chair； my movements were severely limited； but even so I was in a far better fighting position than my opponents。 Flailing back and forth； hammering them with the chair and keeping them pinned beneath me； I lashed out with my feet； throwing kick after kick to head and torso and anything else I could reach。 After what seemed like forever through the haze of pain from my head； they stopped moving。 I gave them each another couple of kicks； just in case they were faking； then collapsed in a panting heap amid the carnage。
I didn't stay collapsed long； though。 It had been a serious gamble on my part； taking them on just after waking up； but I hadn't had much choice in the matter。 Two…to…one odds were as good as I was likely to get； and if I'd waited for them to call whoever was in charge with the news that the sacrificial Voodoo doll was awake and ready to have pins stuck in him； I'd never have left the room alive。
An unhappy ending that could still very easily happen。 The brief fight had been anything but quiet； and the music I could hear in the distance meant that there was at least someone else in the immediate vicinity。 My chair had suffered some damage in the fight； but enough of it had survived to keep me pinioned。 Rolling around awkwardly； keeping an ear cocked for the inevitable reaction； I started checking my unconscious jailers for the keys to my handcuffs。
They were wearing the same sort of neo…Greek tunics as the two who'd jumped me on Xathru； and it didn't take long to find out that the limited pocket space that came with the outfits included no handcuff keys。 One had a belt pouch； similarly bereft of keys。 Neither was carrying a weapon。
But a couple of meters away on the floor where it had fallen at the table's collapse was my phone。
My imprisoning chair had gotten itself caught in a slight hollow formed by the bodies of the two Iykams； but a little rocking broke me free。 I rolled up onto my knees； got to my feet； and picked my way through the debris to the phone。 At this range I could see the Iykams hadn't gotten any further in their disassembly of the device than merely pulling the back off； though why they'd even done that I didn't know。 Perhaps they were hoping to tease a latent phone number or two out of the memory that they could use。
If so； they were out of luck。 That was the phone I'd taken from James Fulbright on Dorscind's World； and there were no incriminating numbers connected with me anywhere in there； latent or otherwise。
Still； I was glad they'd kept the phone around long enough to try； since it had now put munication with the outside world in my hands。 Easing onto my side on the floor within reach of the phone； I rolled the device onto its back。 I was still in big trouble； but a quick call to Ixil would at least alert the others that the Patth were here and on the hunt。 With one final glance at the door； I keyed it on and reached an outstretched finger toward the keypad。 And paused。
There was something too easy about this。 Something far too easy。 Where were the alert reinforcements rushing in to save the day？ Why were these two Iykams fiddling with my phone instead of someone in a properly equipped workroom？ For that matter； why only two guards in the first place？
I keyed off the phone and turned it over again； angling it so that I could get a really good look at the exposed circuitry。 And this time； knowing what to look for； it wasn't hard to spot。
My clever little playmates had wired a repeater chip into the transmitter line； on the upstream side of the encryption sticker。 I couldn't read the fine print on the chip； but it almost didn't matter。 With the simpler Mark VI chip they would be able to eavesdrop on any conversation I might have。 With the more advanced Mark IX version and a properly equipped phone elsewhere in the city they'd not only be able to listen in but could also triangulate through the local phone system to get the location of the other end of the conversation。 I'd been wrong about the Voodoo pins； they intended to get hold of the Icarus the easy way。
I was willing to help out guards who wanted me to make trouble； but my cooperation with the enemy only went so far。 Rolling back up to my knees； I left the phone where it was and headed toward where my plasmic lay next to my ID folder。
I was just leaning down to pick it up when the door slammed open。
I dropped the rest of the way to the floor； my outstretched hand snatching up the weapon as I hit the ground hard enough to reignite the blazing pain in my head。 Ignoring the red haze that had suddenly dropped in front of my eyes； I swiveled both my body and the plasmic to face the door。
It was； I had to admit； an impressive sight。 Four Iykams stood in a semicircle just inside the doorway； each holding one of those nasty coronal…discharge weapons； their alert motionlessness giving them the appearance of transplanted gargoyles。 Behind them； I could see a couple more of the ugly beasts outside the door； undoubtedly waiting eagerly for their chance at me。
And standing right in the middle of the doorway between the two groups was a gray…robed Patth。
〃Don't bother with the weapon； Mr。 McKell；〃 he said。 His voice was typical Patth； managing to mix sincere； contemptuous； and smarmy into a sound that was as distinctive in its own way as Chort's Craean whistling。 〃You don't seriously believe we would leave you a functional weapon； do you？〃
〃After that rather heavy…handed trick you tried with my phone； not really；〃 I agreed。 It was hard to aim properly with my gun hand cuffed to a chair arm； but insofar as I was able I pointed the plasmic squarely at the center of his torso。 〃At least； not on purpose。 You ever hear of a three…pop？〃
There was a slight but noticeable rustling among the gargoyles。 〃I don't think so；〃 the Patth said； adding a bit more amusement into the smarmy part of his vocal mix。 〃But I'm sure you're dying to tell me。〃
〃An appropriate choice of words；〃 I said approvingly。 〃A three…pop is a high…power capacitor wired internally into a plasmic's fire circuit； kept charged by the main power pack but otherwise independent of it。 It holds enough juice for two to four shots。〃 I squinted consideringly。 〃That means you and up to three of your toadies will die if any of you es any closer。 If you'd like to point out your least favorites among them； I'll see what I can do to oblige you。〃
The four front Iykams had stopped looking like friendly little gargoyles。 All four corona guns were up and aimed； held in taut…looking grips at the full extension of taut…looking arms。 But for once I had the advantage； and they all knew it。 Lying there four meters away from them； I was right on the edge of their kill zones； while they were well inside mine。 Add to that the point that they couldn't afford to kill me…and the equally important point that none of them was especially eager to get killed； either…and we had the makings here of a good old…fashioned standoff。
And for a minute it looked as if I might actually get away with it。 Very little of the Patth's face was visible in the shadow of that hood； but what I could see seemed to be in the throes of serious indecision as he weighed the merits of risking his personal skin against the reality that the Icarus still had a long way to go before we were home free。 This was no professional bounty hunter； or even a standard flunky used to obeying orders without the luxury of being able to factor personal preference into the equation。 Odds were this was a reasonably senior Patth citizen； pressed by necessity and desperation into this hunt for us。
But even as he hesitated a new voice from the outer room joined the discussion。 Another Patth voice； just as smarmy as the first； but carrying with it the unmistakable weight of authority。 〃Nonsense；〃 he said。 〃He's bluffing。 Enig； tell your fools to go get the weapon。 We don't have time for this。〃
The Patth in the doorway grunted something and two of the Iykams stepped reluctantly forward； their corona guns rigidly pointed at me。 I let them get within two steps； just in case someone decided to have second thoughts； then let my plasmic settle harmlessly to the floor。 〃You're right；〃 I acknowledged。 〃I'm bluffing。〃
〃Bring him in here；〃 the second voice ordered。 There was no gloating in the tone that I could detect； nor any relief either。 He'd made a decision； had issued an order and had it obeyed； and was not surprised by either the obedience or the fact that his decision had turned out to be right。 Clearly； we had suddenly jumped a whole bunch of
